Abstract

This study was carried out to evaluate the immunohistochemical expressions of p53, E-cadherin, and nm23 proteins in 114 cases of metastatic carcinoma of the neck lymph node (MTLNCA) and corresponding primary carcinoma (PRCA). The positive expressions of p53, E-cadherin, and nm23 proteins were 62.3%, 58.8% and 64.0%, respectively in PRCA, and 40.4%, 38.6%, and 43.9%, respectively in MTLNCA with significant down-regulation from PRCA to MTLNCA (p<0.05). The down-regulation was correlated with female gender, moderate and poor differentiation, and adenocarcinoma in p53 protein, female gender, respiratory and gastrointestinal carcinoma in E-cadherin protein, and female gender, respiratory carcinoma, moderate differentiation, and squamous cell carcinoma in nm23 protein (p<0.05). There was no significant relationship among expressions of p53, E-cadherin, and nm23 proteins (p<0.05). In conclusion, these results suggest that the expressions of p53, E-cadherin, and nm23 proteins seem to be down-regulated from PRCA to MTLNCA and this down-regulation may play a role in invasion and metastasis.

• Keywords: Metastatic carcinoma;Neck lymph node;p53;E-cadherin;nm23